Industry body, the Verification of Lubricant Specifications (VLS), has introduced more stringent guidance on the use of marketing claims on lubricant packaging to ensure end users are protected. The move comes in response to several recent cases, many of which have involved lubricant products making misleading or incorrect claims.
VLS was formed in 2013, and since then, the Technical Review Panel has investigated 146 complaints. Cases have related to passenger and commercial vehicle oils, automotive gear oils, transmission, brake and hydraulic fluids, as well as metalworking fluids. Most complaints received have related to marketing claims, including non-compliance with ACEA specifications and other industry standards, and conflicting or unevidenced OEM approvals.
In 2015, VLS introduced a set of guidelines for lubricant marketing claims. Marketing claims in the industry at the time were complex, and there was little consistency in their use. The guidance was designed to bring clarity to the use of marketing claims and promote consistency in their use, thereby helping the end user better understand these terms and what they mean.
This guidance was updated in 2019 to require manufacturers or marketers that make ACEA claims to have reviewed and make available the Candidate Data Package (CDP) to demonstrate the performance of the formulation being used. This document was considered the best way to assess the product’s performance against the ACEA sequences and is in line with ATIEL Code of Practice.
In response to findings from various recent cases, VLS has now updated the guidance to sharpen the definition of application recommendations. Recommendations should be accurate and able to be substantiated for all the applications detailed. Broad statements such as ‘suitable for all models of an OEM’s equipment range’ or ‘suitable for several OEMs’, where it is generally known that multiple specifications exist for individual OEMs’ ranges of models, should be avoided, as these are seldom supported and could be misleading to end users.
The updated guidance also reinforces the need to register with SAIL if claiming ACEA sequences. SAIL operates the registration system of the signatories of the Letter of Conformance on behalf of ATIEL, the Technical Association of the European Lubricants Industry. Lubricant marketers must be a signatory to the Lubricant Marketers’ Letter of Conformance, as required by participation in the European Engine Lubricant Quality Management System (EELQMS), which applies to all automotive engine lubricants. The list of registrants is publicly available so that organisations can validate suppliers: https://www.sail-europe.eu/registrations/lubricant-marketers.
If a product is using the claims ‘Recommended for use’, ‘Suitable for use’ or ‘Meets the requirements of’, amongst other terms, the lubricant marketer or technology provider must have sufficient, robust and relevant supporting performance test data to demonstrate using qualifying protocols for the recommended application. This should be based on test data against the requirements of the OEM specifications and/or data from substantial field trials where appropriate.
Darren Frogson, VLS Chairman, said: “At VLS, our mission is to protect and educate end users and to support fair and open competition in the lubricants market. As space in motor factors and workshops remains under pressure, there is a temptation for lubricants marketers to make multiple claims on individual lubricant products. But today’s sophisticated engines require a very specific balance of chemistry. Workshops and mechanics must be able to rely on Technical Data Sheets to confirm that a product has been fully tested and can deliver what it claims.
Using the wrong oil can cause accelerated wear in gears and bearings, leading to increased maintenance costs and, if left unchecked, eventual engine failure. Technicians must be confident in their understanding of marketing claims and in selecting the correct product for each vehicle. VLS recommends that if mechanics are ever in doubt about which oil to use, they should always refer to the vehicle handbook or contact the OEM for the right oil recommendation.”
